Jump Start in Austin, TX

Picture returning to the AUS Economy Lot after a week away, or leaving a Moody Center show, and the key turns to a click. Call RoadReady Tow: a live operator confirms the $140 + tax price, then dispatches a provider in our network to jump the battery where the car sits.

Why batteries die in Austin

Austin heat is hard on batteries. NWS 1991-2020 normals for Camp Mabry put the August average high at 97.8°F and the low near 75°F, so engine bays rarely cool overnight. AAA Texas has said extreme heat can evaporate battery fluid and corrode terminals. A battery hurt in August may keep working, then quit on the first cool morning.

Winter is mild but not harmless. The normal January low at Austin-Bergstrom is 37.7°F, and a summer-weakened battery may lack the margin for a chilly start.

Habits add to it. Short hops between Hyde Park and downtown barely recharge a battery, and trips leave cars parked for days at the airport. A dome light left on during a festival weekend, or a dash camera wired to stay on, is often enough to drain what is left.

Which jump do you need?

• Cars and small SUVsSedans and compact SUVs that crank slowly or only click are the classic jump. The driver boosts the battery, starts the engine and checks the charging system.Tell the operator: Say where the battery is, if you know, and whether the car is nose-in or backed in.
• Pickups and full-size SUVsGas pickups and three-row SUVs draw more current, so the provider brings a booster sized for them.Tell the operator: Give the make, model and engine size, and mention tight garage clearance.
• HybridsA hybrid that will not power up usually has a flat 12-volt auxiliary battery, not a failed hybrid pack. The driver jumps the 12-volt system at the points your manual lists.Tell the operator: Say it is a hybrid, the model year, and whether the dash lights up.
• Electric vehicles (12-volt battery)EVs carry a small 12-volt battery that wakes the car. If it dies, the car looks dead even with a full main battery. A 12-volt jump is covered by the $140 + tax price.Tell the operator: Mention the model, whether the doors open, and the last range you saw.
• Diesel trucks and vansDiesel engines need heavy cranking current and often have two batteries, so the provider uses a heavier booster.Tell the operator: Say it is a diesel and how many batteries it has, if you know.

When a jump is not the fix

• If an EV's main high-voltage battery is at zero, a jump will not move it. That calls for mobile EV charging, $175 + tax. Mobile EV charging in Austin.
• If the car stalled in water at a low-water crossing or flooded underpass, do not restart it. Ask for a flatbed tow. Towing in Austin.
• If the car dies again or the battery will not hold a charge, the next step is a tow to a shop or home, or a parts-store replacement. Battery replacement is not part of this service. Towing in Austin.

Where you are in Austin, and what to tell us

• AUS Red and Blue garages and Economy LotsABIA Parking says it offers free battery jumps; call 512-530-3300 first. If you call us, give the facility, level and row.
• Moody Center and UT campus garagesMoody Center lists Manor, Trinity, Garage B, State Garage G and State Garage R. Give the garage, floor and nearest stairwell.
• Q2 Stadium at McKalla PlaceAfter an Austin FC match, give the lot you used near McKalla Place and the closest street, such as Burnet Road, so the driver can reach you once traffic clears.
• Circuit of the Americas, Del ValleCOTA lots are lettered and reached from Elroy Road or FM 812, off SH 130. Give your lot letter and entry; race weekends crowd the access roads.
• I-35, MoPac (Loop 1), US 183 and SH 71On a freeway shoulder, give the road, direction and nearest exit, such as MoPac northbound near Parmer Lane or SH 71 (Ben White Boulevard) eastbound.

Know before you call: Austin's free HERO patrol can jump a battery on the freeway

TxDOT's Austin Highway Emergency Response Operator (HERO) program is a free patrol that can jump-start batteries on I-35, US 183, SH 71, US 290, Loop 1 and several toll roads. On most routes it runs weekdays 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.; I-35 between SH 45 North and SH 45 Southeast is covered 24 hours on weekdays. Call 512-974-HERO (512-974-4376). Source

How a Austin jump start works

1. 1Call (954) 539-7718: give your Austin location, such as an AUS garage level or the nearest MoPac exit. The call gets a reference number.
2. 2Price and arrival confirmed: $140 + tax before anyone is sent, and a provider typically arrives in 30–45 minutes. Event traffic is discussed up front.
3. 3Jump and battery check: once the engine runs, the driver tells you whether the battery looks heat-worn.
4. 4Pay at the end: you pay when the job is done. If the car will not stay running, the operator can quote a tow on the same call.

Austin jump start price

While you wait in Austin

• On I-35 or MoPac, if you cannot get off the road, stay buckled in with hazards on. Call 911 if you are in a travel lane or feel unsafe.
• In summer, do not sit in a closed car without air conditioning. Wait in shade and keep water with you.
• Never drive into water over a road. Austin says Turn Around, Don't Drown; ATXFloods.com lists closed crossings.
• In event garages at Moody Center or COTA, wait by the car and keep your phone charged.
• Do not jump an EV or hybrid from another car unless the owner's manual allows it.

Austin neighborhoods we dispatch to

Downtown (78701) · East Cesar Chavez (78702) · Travis Heights (78704) · Hyde Park (78751) · Mueller (78723) · Crestview (78757) · North Burnet / The Domain (78758) · Riverside / Montopolis (78741) · Tarrytown (78703) · Circle C Ranch (78739)